Uíge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Uíge Wizidi Carmona
Municipality and town
Main street in Uíge
Uíge Location in Angola
Country	Angola
Province	Uíge Province
Founded	1946
Area
• Total	1,188 km2 (459 sq mi)
Elevation	858 m (2,815 ft)
Population  (mid 2020)
• Total	616,605
• Density	519.03/km2 (1,344.3/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (WAT)
Climate	Aw

Uíge (which means Wizidi in the Kikongo language) is a big city in northwestern Angola. It is the capital city of the Uíge Province. In 2014, about 322,531 people lived in the city. The wider area, called a municipality, had a population of 519,196 people in 2014.

Uíge started as a small market town in 1945. It grew quickly and became a city in 1956. The city has its own airport, Uíge Airport. This airport offers daily flights to Luanda, the capital city of Angola.

City Name History

The city of Uíge has had different names over time. In 1955, it was named Vila Marechal Carmona. This name honored Óscar Carmona, who was a former president of Portugal. Later, when it became a city, its name was shortened to just Carmona. However, in 1975, the city's name was changed back to Uíge.

Important Historical Events

During the time when Portugal ruled Angola, Uíge was a very important place for growing coffee. This was especially true in the 1950s. The city was a key location for groups who wanted to end Portuguese rule. Because of this, there were often fights between Portuguese forces and the National Front for the Liberation of Angola (FNLA).

In 2005, Uíge faced a serious health challenge. It experienced the largest known outbreak of the Marburg virus.

Population Growth in Uíge

The number of people living in Uíge has grown a lot. In 2010, the city had about 119,815 residents. By 2014, this number had increased to 322,531 people. Experts predict that Uíge will be one of the fastest-growing cities in Africa. Between 2020 and 2025, its population is expected to grow by almost 6% each year.

See also

In Spanish: Uíge para niños